Pow-Wows, or Long Lost Friend, by John George Hoffman, [1820], at sacred-texts.com

A VERY GOOD AND CERTAIN MEANS OF DESTROYING THE WHEAL IN THE EYE.

Take a dirty plate; if you have none, you can easily dirty one, and the person for whom you are using sympathy shall in a few minutes find the pain much relieved. You must hold that side of the plate or dish, which is used in eating, toward the eye. While you hold the plate before the eye, you must say: